Summoners Struggle
by spikestrife
Summary: Haunted by mysterious dreams, Lady Tifa must journey to defeat an evil entity destroying Spira. With her guardians protecting her she is confident but what if one of them is not all that he seems. FF7810 crossover
1. Zanarkand

**Summoners Struggle  
**By spikestrife

**Posted - 04/15/2005**

Welcome back to Totally Different Final Fantasy X, now called Summoners Struggle. This story is re-written, back and better than ever. Writer's blocks affected my work last time, but it will be different. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I will enjoy writing it.

* * *

Change… I'd lived my life expecting it, but never being totally prepared. It was one of those things everyone had in common, even if they were told to, the never expect the unexpected. I certainly didn't expect most of these events to happen. Everything has gone in the wrong direction… everything has turned out differently, sometimes resulting in fatal consequences. This journey hasn't been easy… for any of us.

We're all silent, thinking things through, and hoping for some silent comfort. Seven of the group, including myself, are surrounding a dying fire, trying to ignore the chill of the air whipping by. The two couples of the group are cuddling together, just silently comforting and holding each other, oblivious to everything but each other. Yet, I sat alone, feeling half complete, waiting anxiously for the empty space next to me to be filled. I sat there, twiddling my thumbs, growing nervous as I started thinking of our plans for tomorrow. I glanced over at the lone member of the group as he stood on a small cliff, hanging over the ocean surrounding the nearby ruins. I watched him, as his gaze was totally focused on the horizon, the sun sinking slowly from the sky. I couldn't help but wonder what it was that he was thinking. Was he thinking of our fate tomorrow, about the future he may miss… or about his family?

I pitied him, finally understanding how much he suffered. He had always been alone, fending for himself… and he still was. It was hard for me to watch him go through it all alone when he had supportive friends nearby.

With one last glance to the rest of my friends, I stood and started to walk to him. His keen senses noticed my presence, and he turned to face me as I neared him. He smiled at me. It was barely there, but it was a huge relief to see it, no matter how small. I smiled back, but it was half-hearted at best. I think he noticed, because his expression turned into one of sympathy. I climbed up beside him and he pulled me close, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I cuddled into him, warmed by his body heat. I followed his gaze to the sunset, watching the golden sky as it slowly darkened.

This journey had indeed been difficult, and I have a gut feeling that it is not over.

But every story eventually has an ending. This is ours… so far…

* * *

Zanarkand… the Machina city, expanding for miles over a shining ocean, away from the mainland. The city was lit by the millions of lamps throughout the city, illuminating the paths for the citizens as they ran in droves to the centre of the city. Tonight was a night they had been waiting for, for some time. It was the Blitzball Tournament Finals. The two teams competing were the favourites of most Zanarkand's population. Banners were held high in the air as fans swarmed into the Blitzball Stadium, screaming and cheering as their anticipation reached new heights. 

The teams were in their changing rooms, preparing for the upcoming match. Outside the room of the Zanarkand Amnis, two figures stood with each other outside the room. It was a man and a woman, holding each other close as the man leaned against the wall. The two whispered to each other, their faces inches apart, sapphire staring into ruby, and the female quietly started laughing.

The man was barely over five and a half feet tall, with golden blonde hair that spiked up in various directions, defying gravity. His navy top and matching pants both carried an insignia of two red swords, crossing and piercing a violet Blitzball. The woman was several inches smaller, with long, thick, brown locks that grew all the way down to her hips She was dressed in an short, elegant, silk dress that clung to her curves, showing off her model-like figure.

The man kissed his girlfriend softly, holding her close with his arms wrapped around her waist. His girlfriend's arms hung around his neck, but one hand snaked up the side of his head as she ran her fingers through his spiky hair. The two broke apart and the woman smiled kindly.

"I hope you win today, Ziodan." She whispered.

Ziodan smiled back and stroked her cheek. "I'll try my best."

With a quick, final kiss, the woman walked away. Ziodan watched her as she headed to the stairs, which led to the spectator's stands.

"Listeria!" he shouted, to get her attention.

Listeria turned to face him just as she set foot on the first step.

"Cheer for me, okay?"

She smiled. "Always." And she continued her climb up the stairs.

Ziodan walked into his teams changing room, feeling his nerves starting to rise. He laid his head in his hands as he sat on a bench, trying to focus. This was the match they had been working for throughout the whole tournament. He watched the rest of the team as they stretched and prepared themselves. As the final member of the team sat down, Ziodan stood and walked to the door that led to the sphere pool. He turned to his team, preparing for the before match speech.

"This is it everyone. The final match… the one we've been working towards. We finally have a chance to seize the cup, and I'm sure every one of you wants to win. And I, personally, have one more reason to win. As you all know, due to recent circumstances, this will probably be my last tournament... heck... my last Blitzball game altogether." The faces of his team suddenly held looks of pity for their captain, showing him that they weren't happy that he wouldn't be playing with them again. "So I want you all to go out there and give it your all. Let's win"

A chorus of cheers sounded throughout the room and the team stood. Ziodan smiled at their enthusiasm and proudly led them to the sphere pool. They walked along a long platform that hung above the sphere pool, a huge computerised sphere that managed to contain huge amounts of water. Ziodan inserted a small device into his mouth, which allowed him to breath and talk underwater. The rest of the team did the same and all dived into the pool. The opposing team was already inside.

Ziodan's team swam to the centre of the sphere and got into position, each crouching on a separate computer generated platform. Ziodan was situated as Midfielder, directly beside the path were the Blitzball was fired into the air at the start of every game. The opposing team's Midfielder scowled at him, trying to unnerve him. Ziodan's face held a look of pure determination, and he readied himself for the game to begin.

Suddenly, a loud whistle blared through the stadium and Ziodan saw the blitzball shoot into the air in front of him. He pushed himself off his platform as his opponent did the same. Both players shot toward the ball, almost oblivious to the water resistance. Ziodan grabbed the ball and instantly threw it to one of his teammates, the opposing player knocking into him from his jump.

Ziodan's teammates passed forward to a player some distance away but before it could be caught it was intercepted. The opposing team player threw with all his might across half the playing area. His teammate caught it, only to have Ziodan ram into him and steal it, swimming as fast as he could towards the goal. Before he reached halfway, Ziodan felt two strong arms wrap around his chest and pin his arms to his sides, almost making him lose his grip on the ball. Ziodan tried to get out of his captors grip but his efforts were futile. He dropped the ball to his feet and kicked it above him, allowing a fellow teammate to catch it. His captor let him go and attempted to steal the ball, but Ziodan grabbed his foot and swung him round with all his might, throwing him through the water and making him collide with a member from the opposition.

Ziodan turned to face his target goal area as a siren blared and the stadium filled with cheers. The player he had passed to had just scored and he was swimming into position with a large grin on his face, giving Ziodan a thumbs up. He happily returned it and swam near the bottom of the pool, ready to stop any player from getting past him.

The stadium suddenly echoed with screams as the top of the stadium exploded, the structure crumbling. Pieces of the roof fell, destroying everything it hit on the way to the stadium floor, including the sphere computer. Ziodan watched with wide eyes, as the computerised pool disappeared. The water fell a great distance, bringing the Blitzball players with it. Ziodan landed heavily on the ground, and he was knocked unconscious before he could even feel the tons of water landing on him.

* * *

Listeria sprinted to the centre of the stadium, a panicking expression on her face. As she reached the centre she jumped into the water that reached up to her knees. His eyes darted back and forth, looking for Ziodan. She noticed the lifeless bodies of his team and couldn't help but worry. 

She suddenly noticed somehow slowly getting up onto their knees. She could see their face from such a distance but their spiky hair was unmistakeable. She walked to Ziodan as quickly as she could through the water and helped to his feet. She held him as he steadied himself, obviously suffering from the effects of his fall.

"Ziodan, are you all right?" she asked him.

"Yeah… I think so… just dizzy." he replied quickly, grabbing the left side of his head. When he drew his hand away it was stained with blood. Listeria dragged him away from the wreckage, supporting him as the dizziness wore off.

As the two exited the stadium, they gasped at the sight of the city. There were hundreds of collapsed buildings, and lifeless bodies lay everywhere. Screams issued from the citizens who were running for safety but one person stood out. A tall, darkly clothed man was standing by a broken statue, patiently waiting for something or someone.

Ziodan's eyes widened when he realised who it was.

"Zanuca?" he spoke aloud. Listeria looked at him, bewildered. "It is! It's Zanuca." He continued. "C'mon."

Ziodan grabbed Listeria's arm and they both ran towards the person, who looked up at them as they approached.

"Zanuca, what are you doing here?" Ziodan asked him. "I thought you were travelling around Spira."

Zanuca looked directly at Ziodan and Listeria finally got a good view of his face. His face was darkly toned from a deep tan, and a scar ran from left his cheek to his forehead, barely missing his eye, both were dark brown. He wore a long, black trench coat, which stopped just short of his shins, and a blood rest vest underneath. A thick belt that was accompanied by two holsters, which carried a pair of pistols, supported his black trousers. At his feet were a small duffel bag and a long metallic case next to it.

Ziodan smirked and knelt down. "I came back for you two."

"What?" Ziodan asked, as Zanuca opened the metal case. He pulled out a sword that looked to be made from steel. The sword was about four feet long and a foot wide, and looked quite heavy. He held it out to Ziodan, who graciously took it and held it in his hands. "Where… how did you get this?"

Zanuca smirked. "I was given it after your little escapade at Bevelle."

Ziodan looked away shamefully, and Listeria put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Zanuca then opened the duffel bag and threw a pair of fighting gloves to Listeria. She caught them, surprised.

"You're going to need them." Zanuca said simply, while pulling out another pair of back-up pistols. He left his bag and case where they were and walked away. Ziodan and Listeria looked at each other, with puzzled expressions before following.

The couple followed Zanuca to the main road that stretched through the centre of the city. Looking at either side of the road, the two noticed that most of the streets were flooded with water. Ziodan instantly knew what this meant. They water barriers around the city limits had been broken. If they weren't repaired, Zanarkand would be almost completely underwater in less than a day.

Ziodan saw Zanuca standing still on the road, looking across the ocean. He followed his gaze and gasped. His gasp caught Listeria's attention and she soon echoed it. Instead of a flat, calm ocean, and a barely visible piece of land from central Spira, there was a huge creature at the edge of the western side of Zanarkand. It looked to be roughly the same size as the Blitzball stadium, with large, scale-covered wings producing from its back. A long, thick tail swung back and forth, almost totally hidden under the water, and was thrashing at the city, destroying all the buildings in its path.

"That… is the reason I came back to Zanarkand. To warn you… and to ask for your help." Zanuca told the young couple as they stared at the creature. "I hoped to have got here before it arrived… but I was slightly late.

"Zanuca…" Ziodan said uncertainly, "What is that?"

Zanuca looked back to the creature, narrowing his eyes at it.

"Vice…" he said simply, "It's called Vice."

Listeria looked at him, fear shown on her face. "Vice? What is it doing here? What does it want?"

Zanuca shook his head. "I'm not sure what it wants or why it's here, but it has been moving, by ocean, from one city to the next, destroying everything in its wake."

Vice suddenly lifted its head up from the water and gazed into the city, as if it was looking directly at the immobile trio. They heard it shriek. It sent a shot of pain through their heads and left their ears ringing… like someone running their nails down a board.

A loud crash was heard through the shriek and they felt the road shake under their feet. Looking round, they saw a large shell-like fragment from the creature land some distance away. The shell cracked open, and out of it poured dozens of small monsters. Their long claws dug into the ground as they walked, leaving the road cracked and pierced. They looked similar to Vice, wings coming out of their backs and long tails, though theirs were armed with spikes near the tip.

Ziodan raised his sword and pushed Listeria behind him as one of them neared. The monster lashed out, leaping up to Ziodan. His sword whistled through the air, slicing through the monster's body and cutting it in two. This caused more of them to charge. Listeria came from behind Ziodan and grabbed one as it tried to jump onto her. She grabbed its claws and threw it over the roadside, before smashing her foot down onto another's back as it came closer, cracking its spine.

Zanuca stayed some distance away from the two fighters, using his pistols to shoot oncoming enemies, making Ziodan and Listeria's work easier. When the last creature had fallen to Ziodan's blade, the three continued to travel down the road, this time at a run.

It wasn't long before the trio realised that these creatures had been scattered throughout the city, and were killing everyone in their path. When they reached a normally busy area of the city, dozens of lifeless bodies littered the road. Listeria put her hands up to her mouth and gasped, her eyes wide with horror. Ziodan struggled to take the scene in, knowing that his home was destroyed.

Listeria looked to him to see his reaction, but saw him with his head down. Several of his spikes were blocking his eyes, but Listeria managed to see that his teeth were gritted together in anger. Seconds later, several sparks surrounded his blade and it started to shine blue, before fading. Listeria knew that Ziodan's anger was going to take control of him. But several growls attracted her attention. More of the Vice creatures entered the area in droves. She knew that if they didn't move they would be helplessly outnumbered.

"Zanuca… we need to move." She told him.

"I believe you are correct. Ziodan…" Zanuca paused, seeing Ziodan's rage. Listeria looked to him again, his blade now glowing a vivid blue.

"Ziodan…" she whispered. She got no reaction but heard him mutter something.

"Those bastards… they've… destroyed everything." He finally raised his head, rage embedded into his features, "Everything!" he screamed, running forward, his sword raised.

"Don't!" Listeria cried, running forward to stop him, but Zanuca's tight grip held his wrist firmly.

Ziodan rushed forward to the monsters as each of them charged to surround him. He skidded to a halt and used the momentum to swung his sword round. As it arced in front of him, a blue beam shot out from the blade, slashing through all the monsters in front of Ziodan, before exploding inside each of them. Listeria and Zanuca felt the rush of air from the blasts and had to cover their mouths and eyes from the smoke.

When it cleared, Listeria ran to Ziodan's side, who was kneeling on the ground, his hands supporting him as he panted heavily.

"Are you okay?" she asked. He looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah… I just feel weak after that attack."

Listeria helped him to his feet, and both of them jumped as they heard a gunshot behind them. More and more of the creatures were heading towards Zanuca, who had both his pistols out, firing furiously. He was keeping them at bay but that wouldn't last. Ziodan walked towards him but a shout from Zanuca stopped him.

"Just go without me… you both need to get as far from Zanarkand as possible. You have to defeat the monster. Get going!"

"No! We can't leave you here!" Listeria shouted to him, not understanding why he didn't want to leave with them.

"There's no sense in all three of us dying here. There's still hope. You have to keep that hope alive. Leaving me is the only way." He turned to face them, not hearing any sounds of retreat. "Go!"

Ziodan instantly grabbed Listeria and ran, neither of them looking back. They ran down the road that lead straight to the only exit from the city. It was a road that led into the mountains, where the creature wouldn't be able to reach them. Their confidence grew, as they were finally able to visibly see the exit, about a mile away. Someone bright suddenly shot past them, and the couple could feel the intense heat coming from it for a split second before it exploded onto a nearby building, causing it to collapse. It was so close, that Ziodan and Listeria had to leap out the way to ensure they were a safe distance away as it landed on the road in front of them. The two raised their heads to see the road to the exit destroyed and crushed, blocking their path.

They both wheeled round in hopes of finding another path, but found their way blocked by the Vice creatures. But the monsters didn't advance; instead they just stood their, waiting.

Ziodan began to feel anxious, and he felt Listeria grab his hand. He squeezed her hand, to reassure her that he was with her. Both looked towards Vice and stepped back in horror. The creature was surrounded by a bright aura that seemed to be getting brighter. It was then blasted from Vice, covering the entire city. As they passed over the young couple, they felt a great pain inside themselves, as if their very souls were being torn from their bodies. When the aura disappeared, both collapsed to the ground lifeless, their hands still intertwined.

And that's when she awoke, screaming from her nightmare.


	2. Final Test

**Summoners Struggle**  
By spikestrife

**Posted - 07/03/2005**

* * *

The twenty-one year old, Tifa Lockhart jerked upright from her lying position on her bed, screaming not only in fear, but also in shock. She sat there panting, as her eyes darted round her familiar room. She eventually began to relax and lay back down, wiping the sweat off her forehead.

That dream had been her most vivid yet. They had been haunting her for several months, gradually becoming more and more frequent until she began having them every night. Usually she would find herself waking up, tears of anguish running down her cheeks, for what reason she didn't know. But this time… she had felt a great pain inside her, as if her soul was being ripped out too. It had hurt so badly… She didn't understand how someone that resembled herself so closely could live in Zanarkand. The great machina city had been destroyed over a thousand years ago. Both Tifa and Listeria had long, flowing brown hair… and the same figure, slim, yet slightly muscular. She grabbed her head as she felt another throbbing headache work its way into her head, another symptom of the dreams.

Sighing heavily, Tifa turned her head to look out the window. It was daybreak. Tifa was glad that she had gotten a decent sleep for a change before the dream. Most nights she would lie awake, afraid to relive it if she dared to sleep. Deciding against napping for a while, she stood up from her bed, stretching her tired arms above her head. She walked over to a covered chair in the corner of her room, lifting the outfit from it and slipped into it. She exited her room wearing a white top, with shoulder straps that were clipped together with buckles. Her beige boot cut trousers, flared at the leg, covering the top of her brown leather boots.

Before leaving the comfort of her home, she reached for a long staff by the door and lifted it onto her shoulder before leaving. As warm air swept over her as soon as she entered the light of the hot sun. Several people were already awake, setting up their shops in the centre of the small, quaint village of Besaid. This town was one of the few villages on the island and was the only one where a Holy Temple was situated. Tifa looked to the temple, a large, white building that was surrounded by several statues of some of the most worshiped people from Spira's history. Tifa breathed heavily as she nervously walked to the temple.

Today was the day she could complete her training to become a summoner. Her last test… was to face the Cloister of Trails, and successfully visit the Fayth to earn her first Aeon.

She nervously entered the large hall of the temple, the voice of the choir echoing from the walls as they sang the Fayth's Hymn. The head priest walked up to her, his robe dragging along the floor. Tifa bowed to him as he neared and he gave her a gracious smile.

"I see you are well, Tifa." He greeted, "Are you ready to face the trails?"

Tifa nodded and the priest smiled once again.

"Good. You're guardians are waiting for you at the entrance to the Trails. Good luck."

"Thank you." Tifa said gratefully.

The priest moved out of her way and she walked to the stairs. Two figures stood at the top of the stairs, along with a red creature that had the appearance of a lion. Both figures, male and female, turned to face her as she reached them. The male was slightly taller than the woman beside, and both had jet-black hair. They both had staffs in their hands, which glowed as magical energy ran through them.

The woman wore a tight top that was cut at her abdomen and a pair of long trousers. Both pieces of clothing were covered by a short dress that reached several inches above her knees, where a pair of high-leg boots reached to, each piece of clothing a dazzling white. The collar and rims of the hood and sleeves were made of a thick pink fabric, and a pair of white, silk gloves protected her hands. Her hair ran down her back, stopping at her hips.

The male was dressed as an almost complete contrast. He wore a black tank top and joggers, a trench coat over his top half, before hanging out below his waist. The arms of his trench coat were blood red, as were his boots and hood. His hair was cut short and spiky.

The lion next to them had violent red fur, with scars all over its body. It's long tail looked frail at first, but at the tip was a glowing flame. The lion's mane was unkempt and his short ears perked up as Tifa neared.

The woman stepped forward and hugged Tifa.

"I'm so proud of you Tifa. You're finally going through with this. You are ready aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes, Andrea. I wouldn't do this otherwise."

"Stop worrying Andrea." The man said, "Tifa will be fine. She'd be fine even without us… but we'll support her anyway."

Tifa smiled happily. "Thanks Andrew."

Andrew grinned and nodded his head towards the brass doors that lead to the Trails. Andrea followed him as he entered, but Tifa looked to the lion, noticing his unfocused gaze.

"Nanaki… are you alright?" she asked her friend.

Nanaki looked to her, and nodded. "Yes, I was merely thinking. But if you wish to enter the Trails, I shall leave my pondering until another time."

With that, Nanaki headed into the Trails too, Tifa trailing close behind him.

The Trails were mazes filled with challenges for summoners to complete. If they don't succeed in completing every challenge they are met with, they are blocked from accessing the Fayth. That's why only a select few can become fully-fledged summoners.

The Besaid Trail was one of the easiest to complete, as this was where most summoners completed their training. Tifa had been practicing on Trails that were said to be similar to those inside the temple, and so far had been successful, but even knowing this didn't calm her nerves. The grip on her staff tightened as they walked into the maze.

The room twisted and turned, as they walked further on, yet no challenges had yet been shown. But Tifa wasn't relaxing. She knew from her training that you have to be constantly on alert in an unknown environment. She could tell that her guardians were on their guard also.

The group turned a corner that led to a fork. Andrew turned to Tifa, and she nodded to the right and Andrew stepped down the path first. He heard a loud snarl from beside him and leapt back just in time to see a large jaw snap shut where his head had just been. The creature landed softly after its leap and turned to face its prey as two more of its kind came up beside it.

They were wolves, particularly dangerous looking ones too. They're long snouts held above an open jaw, filled with razor sharp teeth, fangs bared. Their pointed ears were drawn away from their face. Their thin bodies were covered with a thick, light layer of fur, stains of dry blood on their skin. Their short tails stood upright, and low growls were being issued from their throats as the group stood watching.

"What are those?" Andrea asked, "They're not from this area that's for sure."

"They're wild wolves. I heard that they'd brought in fiends from the Mi'ihen Highroad." Andrew told her.

Tifa clenched her fists, readying herself for a fight. "Do we have to beat them to get through?"

"It seems that way." Nanaki stated, leaping forward and snapping at one of the monsters neck. His jaw clamp down on its throat and it screamed in pain, flailing its head in an attempt to get Nanaki off.

Tifa rushed forward to help, but had to jump out of the way to avoid being bitten by another wolf. It landed softly and whipped round to strike again, but Tifa grabbed its top and bottom jaw in either hand as it tried to take a chunk out of her arm. She held its head up and kicked its neck, cracking it. She let go of the wolf and it fell to the floor, lifeless.

The last remaining wolf leapt towards Andrew, but he used his staff to strike its head, knocking it away. He spun the staff in his hand once before pointing it towards the fiend and a large bolt of lighting struck its body, exploding when it hit contact. When the smoke from the explosion had cleared, on the floor lay the wolf's scorched body.

Nanaki yelped as he felt his enemy's claws rake through the skin on his face. He attempted to swipe back, but the wolf was more nimble than he was and leapt out of his range easily. Nanaki was just about to attack when he felt a warm wave was over him, and he felt the cuts on his face heal. He looked to Andrea, who had her staff held in front of her and her eyes closed. He realised that she had used her healing magic to help his wound. Nanaki realised that the fiend would be extremely difficult to hit normally. He took a deep breath and focused his mind. He spat out a large chunk of ice towards the fiend, which shattered when it hit its face. The fiend was knocked onto its back and Nanaki took a chance to dig his claws into its neck before tearing them out, killing it.

Tifa sighed in relief as Nanaki turned and nodded to show he was in one piece. She looked to the others and got the same replies. They continued down the corridor, walking past the burned, broken and bleeding corpses of the creatures. They turned left and noticed a large gap in the wall, filled with sheen of thick glass. Four creatures stood behind it.

The fiends were bouncy as they watched the oncoming figures with interest. Their bodies were like jelly, and each of them was different in some way. One of them was red, and through the translucent body Tifa could see a raging fire inside it. The one next to it was green and bolts of electricity sparked around the outside of its body. The remaining two were blue, but the smaller creature looked to have a large amount of clear liquid inside of it, while the others breath came out as mist.

While the others watched the fiends, Andrea looked to the silver plate on the wall. Several sentences had been carved into it, and she read them out.

"Use your knowledge of elements to destroy the selected Flan. This Flan would easily be able to survive in the harsh weather of Mt. Gagazet. Use its weakness to destroy it." She told the group. "Well… that's sounds easy enough. Any ideas?"

Tifa shut her eyes, thinking. She was startled when Nanaki spoke.

"Mt. Gagazet has a constant winter climate. The snow rarely lifts from its peaks."

Tifa surveyed the Flans as they continued to bounce behind the glass screen. The Flan that lived in Gagazet would have to be able to withstand freezing temperatures. So it would have to be…

Tifa raised her hand towards the taller blue Flan that was occasionally spitting out chunks of ice from its mouth, and focused. In Spira, calling on the forces of Black Magic meant literally calling for them. Speaking with your thoughts was something only experienced magic users could do. Once learned, people could constantly call on their spells unless their thoughts are silenced by a particular effect. Most black mages had a wide range of magic to call upon, but people less experienced, like Tifa, only knew how to call to some of the most basic spells. She called out to a particular element and chose her target. The large Flan suddenly burst into flames and within seconds, its whole body had melted into the ground.

Tifa jumped when she felt Andrew laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Nice job. Those spells will come in handy later on."

Tifa grinned and looked back to her defeated opponent. The glass and the Flans had disappeared, leaving a hole in the wall. Tifa hesitated, but Nanaki walked forward, through to the other side. The others followed suit and came to a grand staircase, leading down into the earth of the island. The room was lit with dozens of candles, mostly running across the banisters. The group of four started down the stairs, surveying the area with awe.

The sight of the next room drew a gasp from almost everyone. Large panes of glass gave the room a view of the ocean beneath Besaid, giving the room a blue glow. The area was filled with statues of mythical creatures. Chimera's, dragons and birds lined the wall, but one statue in particular stood out from the rest.

It was a long, thin statue, coiled and twisted with a head facing forward. It was a serpent. Fins spread out gracefully from its neck and its tail resembled that of a mermaids. The creature was blue, almost identical in colour to the ocean outside the room.

Behind the statue was a gate, leading to a dark corridor. Tifa looked to her companions and nodded. She walked to the gate, alone, and carefully pushed it open. Noticing the darkness of the corridor, she cast a fire spell and focused it into her hand. The light illuminated the corridor and she proceeded through. She carried the small ball of flames in her palm, protected from her magic. As she continued forward the hallway spread put into a circular room, lanterns of fire hanging on the walls. In the centre of the room, was a miniature version of the large serpent statue in the previous room.

Tifa knew what was to be done.

She knelt in front of the statue. She closed her eyes and spoke the Summoners Chant.

_I reach to you slumbering spirit  
So your might I can inherit  
Join with me so I may call your name  
Come to me, be mines to tame  
As we join our powers, become as one  
We shall make evil's work undone_

Tifa opened her eyes but quickly shut them again as a white flash blinded her. After it was gone, she cautiously reopened her eyes and looked up. Her eyes widened as the sight.

The statue was no longer there. Instead, the creature it resembled had taken its place. The large serpent towered over Tifa, though she felt no fear, knowing that this creature would aid her.

_'Summoner, you have passed the final test.'_

Tifa heard the voice from the serpent. It wasn't talking to her directly, but somehow speaking into her mind. She stood there calmly, waiting for it to continue.

'For centuries, I have aided new summoners in their attempt to rid Spira of the suffering it is plagued with. None have succeeded. Do you still read to be placed with the burden of sacrificing your life?'

"Yes, I do. I'll do anything to see the evil destroyed. I don't care if I fail, but I must at least try." Tifa told the serpent.

'You're strong will is impressive. Very well… a portion of my spirit shall be yours to control. Simply call to me, and I shall be there to help you.'

"Thank you." Tifa told it gratefully.

The serpent nodded and began to shine blue. A collection of the light hovered away from it and towards Tifa. She held out her hand, and the light rested there. She suddenly felt a large surge of energy enter her and she fell to her knees, panting.

After regaining her strength, she looked up to where the serpent had appeared to find it gone, and the statue back in its original place. She also noticed a gold plate embedded into the floor. On it was some writing, but it was so faded that Tifa could barely read it.

**Leviathan  
Serpent of the Ocean**

"Leviathan…" Tifa whispered. She had heard tales of the creature. The Leviathan serpent still lived somewhere in the ocean, but it had offered some of its spirit to the summoners to aid their battles. Now, Leviathan had become a traditional Spirit for new summoners to earn as their first. With it, summoners could call upon the element of Water, usually in the form of a Tidal Wave, to assist them.

Tifa stood, taking one final look at the statue, walked out of the Spirit's Sanctuary and back through the dark corridor. She saw her comrades calmly waiting for her to return, and they perked up when they heard her approaching. She looked at them all seriously, before smiling.

"I've done. I got my first Spirit." She took a deep breath, "I'm finally a summoner."

* * *

Finally… it is complete. As I have said many times for other stories, I am so sorry for the lack of an update. I feel terrible. I feel even worse, since I think I've really let myself down with this chapter. Flames are welcome as always, and I would be thrilled if I got some suggestions from you guys, or just some simple criticism. Well, time for the usual ending to one of my chapters. Shout-Outs! 

**Vampiric Priestess – **Lol, apart from Zanuca you're right with the characters. As told earlier, Listeria is and exact image of Tifa, and that has importance for later events. Zanuca, however, is not related to anyone.

The beginning is in fact a newly written version of the beginning I had last time. I took this story down about a year ago because I wasn't pleased with it. But after playing Final Fantasy X I got the urge to write this again. I must say I'm pleased with the beginning; I described the scene a lot better this time.

And thanks for reviewing this. I hope you'll continue reading.

**Cuiasodo – **Don't worry. I will be trying my best to make this as loosely related to the game as possible. The beginning is close to a clone because I really liked it. But it has a totally different meaning to the game thankfully. And the original characters will be in this story, but the similar characters with different names do have a place in my story.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	3. Preperations

**Summoners Struggle**  
By spikestrife

**Posted - 11/07/2007**

* * *

"Ziodan!" 

The boy, late into teens, turned to find the source of the call, seeing Listeria running towards him. The sight of the large smile that graced her face made him smile back. She ran until she stood beside him and leapt into him, her arms wrapping around his neck. Ziodan gasped as he was almost thrown off his feet but laughed when he balanced himself and hugged Listeria back. Kissing her neck softly, he heard her giggle and sigh calmly.

"Hmm..." he spoke, still nuzzling her neck, "I missed you last night."

Listeria giggled, "I can tell."

Ziodan looked up at her and brought a hand up to stroke her face. It was a few moments before he noticed the slight bags under her eyes and worry instantly overtook him.

"Listeria, are you doing okay?"

Smiling sadly, she leaned against him and sighed heavily. "I haven't been sleeping well... not since..."

Ziodan knew what she meant. He hated himself for what happened and for the effect it was having on her. The guilt was almost unbearable and tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He leaned down and hid his face in her crook of her neck. Her sweet scent filled his nostrils, almost making him dizzy. Kissing the side of her neck, he raised his head so that his mouth hovered near her ear. He paused, opening his mouth to whisper something to her...

"You're not alone in this."

* * *

Tifa was frustrated. She sat on the beach, almost an hour before sunrise, thinking. She sighed heavily, wanting to scream, yet too exhausted to do so. She had only gotten a few hours sleep before another dream had woken her. She held her head in her hands and growled in anger, not knowing why these dreams were haunting her. Apart from the lack of sleep they were leaving her with, she could see no connection to her lifestyle and she could find no solid reason why they had started in the first place. The only connection she could make was that they had started soon after she had began her training to become a summoner. The dreams were always of Ziodan and Listeria but this one had been different. The final voice… it had been so clear in her dream, like it was being whispered directly into her ear. What it said… what did it mean? She wasn't alone? 

A loud splash caught her attention, and she looked over the ocean to see her Leviathan leaping through the water. The sight made her smile.

Although the Spirits were considered powerful beings that should only be called when needed, they were, in fact, spiritual energy that came directly from the soul of the creature they represented. Some summoners recognised their need to have periods of time living the way they used to and called them even when unnecessary. Tifa understood that, because Leviathan was a part of the sea serpent that still roamed the world, it would enjoy the ocean much like the real creature would. Stories of past summoners stressed that if they didn't get a chance to act freely… they would become mindless fighting machines, knowing nothing but destruction and pain, and feeding from their summoners anger and ruthlessness to become shells of their true selves. Tifa wouldn't allow that to happen, not if she could help it.

"Tifa?"

Tifa perked up at the voice and looked over her shoulder to the owner. Andrea walked to her, clothed in her summer wear of a skirt and a short sleeved top, and calmly took a place next to her friend. She looked her over and instantly recognised her state, having seen it plenty of times before.

"Another dream?" she asked.

Tifa didn't respond immediately.

"I just wish…" Tifa began, sighing wearily, "…that they would go away. But they are getting worse. Every time I wake up, I'm crying, and the feeling of despair and hurt from the dream still lurks. I don't understand it… why do I feel that way?"

Andrea replied to her question, even though it had mostly been directed to herself.

"I don't know Tifa. I don't have any answers but I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually."

Tifa smiled at her older friend, but she couldn't hide the sadness that she felt. Andrea noticed this and, comfortingly, put an arm around her shoulders. Tifa leaned against her and shut her eyes, while a single tear ran down her cheek.

Andrea was torn to see her friend like this. "I'm so sorry Tifa... I'm sorry that we can't help."

* * *

Lightning struck across the darkened sky as the storm raged, illuminating the city below. The city was vast, stretching for miles outward from its centre in every direction. Tall buildings circled the city, rivalling the size of the hills at the city edge. Darkness covered the streets due to the power cut and the only source of light was the lethal bolts of electricity overhead. 

Almost oblivious to the heavy rain and lightning, two figures were atop the roof of the town centre, overlooking the empty streets below. The slightly taller, and younger, of the two stood at the roof's edge, muscular arms crossed over his well built chest. The hood of his jet black, cloaked jacket was down, allowing the strong winds to blow his long, soaked bangs away from his face. The second figure, also cloaked, sat on the edge, his legs hanging off the side of the roof. Although, in the dark his cloak appeared jet black, it was actually a deep shade of midnight blue. His hood was up, hiding his face as he looked away into the distance.

The standing figure looked at his older friend and sighed.

"Are you sure about this?"

His friend replied with a sigh to his question. There was silence for several moments as thunder roared over them.

"It's the only way I can figure out what's happening to me." He paused, breathing deeply, quickly thinking through all his reasons to do this. "Plus, it's my duty."

The younger teen shook his head, rolling his eyes. "It's not your _duty_ to be _with_ her. There is no relationship between either of you, you know that. You can't judge events in the future based on the past."

"I'm not looking to make a relationship between us," the older man snapped, turning his head sharply, glaring at his companion. "She needs help. You and I both know that she won't be able to do this alone. She needs another like her to get through this."

"They'll never except you for who you are," his friend snapped back. "It's the same all round Yevon; they settle for judging you for _what_you are. You know that even more than I do."

The older man looked away, defeated but not convinced that he had no chance of helping. The answers to his questions were out there somewhere, and he could only find them with her. He was certain she would be looking for answers too, and he could help. He couldn't not do this. Not if he wanted to carry on with his life without being haunted by them

"I don't care. I want to help. She's not the only one that suffering from all this."

"Well… I hope you know what you're doing," the younger man stated seriously, turning and walking away, "for both your sakes."

After hearing the roof entrance door slam shut, the remaining figure sighed heavily and shut his eyes.

"So do I." He muttered quietly.

* * *

"When will the boat be scheduled to leave?" Andrew asked, looking to the old man across from him. 

"We will leave at sundown. The boat should arrive at Kilika Port around mid-morning," the old man replied, scratching his bearded chin.

"Weather?"

"There's a storm heading south from Luca. It will probably hit Kilika the day after tomorrow. And it looks like there will be a second one about a day afterward."

Andrew shook his head, annoyed. "Damn… that's gonna slow us down quite a bit."

"What will?"

Andrew jumped at the new voice, and spun quickly, coming face-to-face with Andrea. He sighed in relief and relaxed.

"A storm. Hits Kilika in two days. It's going to make travelling difficult."

Andrea rolled her eyes as the obviousness in the statement. "Any idea how long it will last?"

Andrew shook his head and Andrea sighed in defeat. Not a great start. Looking past Andrea, Andrew noticed Tifa sitting near the water-fountain in the centre of the village. She was absent-mindedly running her hand through the water, her gaze unfocused. Even from where he was, he could dimly make out the dark bags under her eyes. It was a sight that was becoming familiar, and so was the reasoning.

"Another bad night?" he asked sadly.

Andrea nodded, also looking toward Tifa. Tifa didn't notice them watching her, though she wouldn't have really cared. Watching the rippling water soothed and calmed her, making her even more sleepy. But fear kept her awake. All she could do was think of what is coming, and what it meant. She hoped... she prayed that somewhere out there she would find help and some answers.

"Tifa?"

She turned her now drowsy gaze towards the voice and saw that it was Nanaki. His fiery tail swished along the sand as he stepped up to her, sitting at her side and looking up to her.

"You must take your mind off of these dreams of yours Tifa. You need your rest. Your journey will not give you much time to rest."

Tifa sighed, her frustration threatening to allow tears to spill but she clenched her eyes shut, refusing to show more weakness.

"I do try but... I'm scared. I'm afraid to sleep, afraid of those dreams.I know I shouldn't let them scare me but... I can't help it. Not being able to control the effects of my sleep terrifies me." she admitted.

Nanaki looked at her sympathetically. "I understand Tifa. But you have to learn to control it. You can only survive for a limited amount of time with this much pressure bearing down on you."

Tifa looked away from him, thinking. The pressure... her journey, her enemy, the expectations of the villagers, of her friends. It was such a burden to carry, so much depending on her.

Nanaki noted her silence, and decided to give a simple point for her to dwell on.

"You may be a summoner, but you are still a fragile human. Your frame can only bear so much weight without it caving in."

Tifa stared at the gound silently as Nanaki walked away.

He was right. She was only human and she could only endure so much. What she questioned now was, how long before she caved in. And anther question sprung to mind, one that scared her more than the thought of caving in from the physical strain her dreams were having.

The load... could she bear the load, that the journey would provide, alone?

* * *

Tifa could barely believe it. Her journey would soon be starting. She'd be leaving Besaid… her home for most of her life… probably for good. The thought of never seeing that village again, not watching the children playing blitzball on the beach or waking up to sand between her toes and sunshine stroking her skin, it pulled at the building sadness in her heart. 

She stood of the deck of the ship, he feet at the edge of the ramp that seperated the ship from the land of her home. Several feet... yet she had never felt so far away and so lost.

Everyone stood on the dock, some crying, saying goodbye to loved ones who were also departing to other places. Others came to see Tifa and her friends off and wish her a safe journey.

Words escaped her. Her last goodbye... and nothing was coming out. She felt shame stir in her but it quickly faded when she felt a sincere smile cross her face as the ramp was retracted. Andrew came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her small shoulders. He quickly signalled to Andrea and Nanaki, who were watching the island as the ship started to drift away from the dock.

"You're not alone out here."

She smiled as the ship finally pulled out of the dock. Running to the side of the ship she called back to the islanders.

"Goodbye, everyone. Be safe."

A chorus of replies met her call and she felt her spirits lift, and this time it did not fade instantly to the misery and loneliness that had consumed her over the past months. Even so, she felt a strange need to be inside the ship.

She turned to Andrew, "I'm going to head to my cabin and sleep a bit of the journey off hopefully."

Knowing of her lack of sleep he wasn't about to say no, so he simply nodded. Stepping down the stairs into the ship she heard the faint growl of the engines as they gave the ship its energy. She found it strangely soothing, like it was the purring of a more ferocious animal than a cat.

Stepping into her own cabin, she noted the simple design of the room, thankful that nothing had been done special for once. Normality wasn't common for a summoner. She took a deep breath and stood still as the door clicked shut.

The she felt herself cave in. In that one instant she knew... the load had become to heavy from her small frame.

Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. Everything came crashing down on her, pain, exhaustion, frustration, loneliness, all at once. She cried out as tears streamed down her face, her physical cries providing a whisper of the pain she felt.


End file.
